A quantum melting of the spin ice is proposed for pyrochlore-lattice magnets Pr2TM2O7 (TM=Ir, Zr, and Sn). The quantum superexchange Hamiltonian having a nontrivial magnetic anisotropy is derived in the basis of atomic non-Kramers magnetic doublets. The ground states exhibit a cooperative ferroquadrupole and pseudospin chirality, forming a magnetic analog of smectic liquid crystals. Our theory accounts for dynamic spin-ice behaviors experimentally observed in Pr2TM2O7.
@article{arxiv.0907.2536,
title = {Quantum Melting of Spin Ice: Emergent Cooperative Quadrupole and Chirality},
author = {Shigeki Onoda and Yoichi Tanaka},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0907.2536},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
4 pages including 4 fgures; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett.; powder-neutron scatteing profile added in favorable comparison with experiment